Page 54 of Single Mom for the Firemen

“Could be,” she agrees with a nod. “Or a book, maybe.”

“A book?” I exclaim.

She raises her eyebrows and shrugs. “Hey, I’m just calling it how I see it,” she replies, almost casual. “I think there’s way more toget into with this story, with the guys, everything they’ve been through. If they’re willing to talk, then you should keep writing too.”

“Holy shit, Lara,” I murmur, planting my hand against my chest. I’ve been thinking about writing a book for so long, but to be confronted with an offer like this, it’s…it’s huge. But the more I think about it, the more obvious it becomes to me that this is exactly what I need to do. A story about them? I can’t think of anything I would be better at right now.

“And besides,” she remarks, leaning in closer and lowering her voice, “I’m not stupid. I can tell by the way you wrote about them that you’re totally smitten and you don’t want to go anywhere.”

My lips part, and I can feel a heat rising up my cheeks. Being called out like this was thelastthing I had expected.

“It’s not that obvious, is it?” I protest, shaking my head. “I didn’t even mention anything about the relationship in the article…”

“You didn’t have to,” she replies. “You can read between the lines and see it written all over the piece. You really care about them. And judging by what they did for you—they feel the same way.”

I fall silent for a moment. I can’t forget the enormity of what they did for me—taking on the cartel to get my daughter and me to safety. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to pay them back for that, not that any of them would ever ask.

“They’ve been amazing,” I reply, glancing to where I last saw Callie. “And with her, especially, it’s like—it’s like they’ve just embraced her completely. They want to be part of her life, and they are so amazing with her, I want them to be too.”

Lara smiles softly, dipping her head to the side. “You know, I think it might do her good, having those three around,” she remarks, and I raise my eyebrows at her playfully.

“And what’s that supposed to mean? That I’m a terrible parent who can’t be trusted on my own…?”

“No,” she laughs. “More that…you’ve been working so hard for so long. I think you deserve a chance to share that with other people.”

I nod. “It does sound kind of nice,” I admit. “Especially if I’m going to be writing a book about them too. Do you want me to share the details of the intimate stuff, or…?”

“I’ll leave that entirely up to you,” she giggles. “Though, I have to admit, I am kind of curious—has it been…you know, with all three of them?”

I press my lips together and nod. “Yeah, it has been,” I confess, and she gasps.

“Holy hell, Van!” she exclaims. “All three of them? How does that even work…?”

“I don’t know if I want to tell you when my daughter is right over there,” I reply. “But…it’s good. Really good.”

“Okay, well, if they ever mention having any other firefighter friends who are looking to take in a single woman…” She plants a hand on her chest. “Let them know that I am as eager as they come.”

“I’ll make sure to keep an ear to the ground,” I promise her, and we both dissolve into giggles once more. Once I finally straighten up again, I glance around the garden and back at the cabin, a sudden thought hitting me.

“So does that mean we’re going to be staying here?” I ask her.

“Of course you are,” she replies. “How else are you going to do this story on them?”

“That’s…that’s ridiculously generous,” I murmur to her. “You don’t have to do that. I can pay you back?—”

“You don’t have to,” she assures me. “You’re my best friend, Van. I want the best for you, and for Callie. And besides, I’m not going to cast you out right when you’ve started to settle down with those sexy firefighters, huh?”

“I appreciate the kindness. But I?—”

Before I can finish what I’m saying, I hear Callie’s voice pipe up from behind me. “We get to stay?”

I don’t know how long she’s been there, but I guess it’s been enough time that she’s heard what we were saying to one another about the cabin. And with that look on her face, her bright eyes gazing up at me with hope, I know I don’t have it in me to turn around and tell her that no, actually, we’re going to be moving back to a cramped little apartment in the city after spending a summer in perfect paradise.

“I guess we are, baby,” I reply, and she claps her hands together, rushing toward me and throwing her arms around me.

“Hey, it’s Lara you have to thank,” I correct her, laughing, and she shoots over to Lara, almost bowling her off her feet with the intensity of her grip.

“Thank you, Lara!” Callie yells, her voice slightly muffled where she has buried her face into her shirt.

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